Sheet-separating apparatus.



N9; 823,936. PATENTED JUNE 19, 19

A. B. DICK. SHEET SEPARATING APPARATUS.

; rum-Moi IILBD JULY 6, 1905.

2 SKEETB- SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: Y i; INVENTOR ATTORNEY PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906.

A. B. DICK. SHEET SEPARATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1905 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR v dzirkfifi f WITNESSES ATTORNEY umrnn srnrns PAIENT orrrcn.

ALBERT B. DICK, OF'LAKE FOREST, ILIiINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. DICK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

' SHEET-SEPARATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented June 19, 1906.

Application filed luly 6, I205. Serial No. 268,452-

To aIZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. DIoK,a citi zen of the United States, residing at Lake Forest, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sheet-Separating Apparatus, of which the following is a description.

The object of the present invention is to provide efficient and durable mechanism coto acting, preferably, with the under" side of a sheet pile for successively separating sheets therefrom for subsequent treatment in folding, duplicating, or printing-devices or the ike A further object is to provide sheet-sepa I rating apparatus having maximum latitude with regard both to the character and size of the sheets to be operated upon.

In carrying out the invention I employ a suitable bed having an opening intermediate of its ends, inwhich operates a separator-roll coacting successively with the lowermost sheets of the pile and an idler-roll adjacent to such separator-roll, the sheets separated being passed between such-idler and separator rolls. The separator-roll operates in a substantially fixed position, while the idler-roll is adjustable relatively thereto, so as to increase or diminish the space between the'pe- 3o riphery thereof and that of said separatorroll, thereby -making it possible to reliabl feed sheets of paper or other material of widely-different character or quality. Said bed is provided with means such'as a suitable 7 scale or graduation and coacting therewith a finder-gage movable rel'atively'to such means in order to enable the sheet pile to be properly positioned upon said bed. Coacting with said sheet pile and with said finder-gage are an 40 end guide and side guides movable into proximity to the edges of the sheet pile, so as to firmly hold the same and conduce to reliable separating of the sheets from the under side of said pile. By varying the arrangement of the sheet pile upon said bed the sheets are separated therefromby buckling the same intermediate of their ends and at any desired point. When,therefore,the separatingapparatus is used in conjunction with folding o mechanism, the sheets. may be separated from the under side of the pile in such manner as to be subsequently folded into thirds or first folded in half and then into quarters.

Further objects and advantages. of the in-' vention will be made apparent during the description of the mechanism.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings; in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view of sheet-separating apparatus employing my invention, certain parts being broken awaya Fig. 2 is a central vertical section, certain parts being shown in full lines. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at about the line3 3, Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating a portion of the idlerr'olladjusting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters denote corresponding parts, A designates the bed, adapted to receive the sheet pile, said bed being suitably supported-as,

for instance, by means of side frames (1, which may, if desired, form part of the mechanism in connection with which the separating apparatus is employed-as, for instance, that of a foldingmachine. Overlying said bed is a pressure device,comprising a casting B,hav ing openings 1) b therein, said casting being pivoted at its rearward end 6 in upwardlyprojecting ears b secured to the bed A. Overlying said casting are ways C C, pivoted at 0 upon ears extending upwardly from said casting, said ways resting alsd upon a yoke carried by the vertically-movable pin a, pro- I jecting through a rib c formed upon said casting and secured to a pressure-bare arranged directly over the-separator-roll, presently to be described. On said Ways C operates an adjustable (sliding) weight C. The under surface of the castin B is preferably provided with a facing 0 0 rubber or other suitable elastic material. The said pressure device may be swung upon the pivotal points b in order to place the sheet pile D in position on the bed A. p

7 As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the bed A is provided at a point intermediate of its ends with an opening, and in this opening operate the separator-roll E and idler-roll G. Said separator-roll is provided with a fluted or corrugated periphery, preferably of rubber, and both ends of its shaft 6 are mounted in the frame of the apparatusas, for instance,

in the side members a, as shown at e e. The

shaft 6 of saidse aratorroll is also preferably provided wit a pinion e, which meshes with a pinion. e on the shaft of a feed-roll F,

which shaft is also provided a pinion f, meshing with a corresponding pinion onthe shaft of another feed-roll F, the surface whereof is preferably fluted or corrugated and of rubber or other suitable elastic material. Where the separator apparatus is em ployed in connection with a folding-machine, as indicated in Fig; 2 of the drawings, the pinion f may mesh with an idler-pinion f,

to which in turn meshes with a pinion f on the from the pile shall be fromsaid separator-roll shaft of a folding-roll f and the pinion f may mesh with a correspondin pinion on the shaft of a coacting folding-r0 If, so that the path of movement of a sheet separated E, between the feed-rolls F F, and thence between the folding-rolls f 5 (1f The idler-roll G, arrange parallel-with the separator-roll E, is here shown as journaled at each end in bearing-blocks g 9, these blocks being movably supported in any suitable manneras, for instance, upon shelves g, projecting inwardly from the internal faces of the members a of the frame and held in 2 5 position upon such shelves by straps g here shown as secured by screws edge of said side members a.

H designates a shaft, here shown as journaled adjacent to each end in ears h, which 9 to the upper 0 may be formed integral with the side members a of the frame. Adjacent to each end said shaft is provided with a collar h and crank b and pivotally secured to each of said cranks, as at h, is one end of a connect- 3 5 ing-arm h, the other end whereof is pivoted,

as at h", to one of the bearing-blocks g, in which the idler-roll G is journaled. Said shaft H is provided with actuating means,

I and such means are here shown as comprising a knurled disk I, secured to or formed integralwith another disk i, having a milled or serrated periphery, with which coacts one end of a spring 11, the other end whereof is secured to the machine-frame. As will readily be understood, the revoluble moveinent of the disk I and the consequent movement of the shaft H, the cranks h, the connectingarms h, the blocks g, and idler-roll G is effected by overcoming the stress of the spring 0 i and its coact'ion with the milled or toothed s quality or character.

6 5 the bight or fol thereof downward under the action of the roll E until gripped by the feed rolls F F. Where, however, a very much thinner material is to be separated or material which has been reviously dampened, Jthe best results can on. y be obtained by mov- ,ing the idler-roll into closer relation to the separator-roll E.

Turning now to the bed A of the apparathe, the surface of this is preferably fluted or provided with longitudinal depressions in order to assure intimate contact of the under side of the sheet pile therewith. Such fluting or corrugatin however, being known in the art, is not illustrated in the drawings. Said bed is providedwith two end guides or gages L M (the former of which 1 term for convenience the finder-gage) and two side guides N on either side of the space to be occupied by the sheet pile. Theguides N may be substantially the same in construction, each comprising two members a n at right angles, the member n being perpendicular to the bed A and the member rr being perforated to receive a bolt M, the head whereof operates in a lateral slot a in the bed A, an adjusting-nut 17, being employed to bind the guide at any osition to which the same has been move throughout the length of its lateral slot a gages L M may also be substantially the same in construction, each comprising the fiat late Zm, secured to the horizontal'member m, which has perpendicular extension Z m Said guides or gages L M overlie longitudinal slots 1 m, in which operate the heads of adjusting-bolts Z m, the guides being locked in position bygneans of nuts Z m The ide' or gage L is termed the findergage or the reason that it coacts with a suitable scale or'graduation on the upper surface of the bed A, indicatin the point to which the same is to be move for coaction with a sheet pile of certain longitudinal dirnensions.v In the present instance I have shown such scale or graduation as compris- The guides or ing two series of figures O P, the scale 0 being graduated from S to 12, inclusive,

and the scale P being graduated from 12 to 16, inclusive, thereby giving the machine the capacity of handling sheets from eight to sixteen inches in length.

The operation of the machine can perhaps best be explained in connection with a description of the separating of sheets of, say, ten inches in length and then of sheets of, say, fourteen inches in length. In either case the finder-gage L is moved so that the inner edge of the plate Z thereof shall lie at' the proper graduation of the scale. Thus for separating paper approximately ten inches in length said finder-gage will be -mov ed to the indication for that length on the scale C3. The sheet pile; may then he laid on the bed, oneedge bein against. the

finder-gage,

perpendicular member 1 of? said the guide or gage M being then moved up into contact with the other edge of said pile.

- belt-wheel Q,) the rotation of the separatorroll E in the direction of the arrow adjacent,

to said roll in Fig. 2 will tend to press the lowermost sheet of. the pile backward against the guide or gage M. Since, however, such movement is precluded, it will cause said sheet to buckle and pass downward between said separator-roll and the idler-roll G until the same is grasped between the feed-rolls F F, which, operating simultaneously with the separator-roll E, carry said sheet farther downward,. the buckle or fold therein in advance, until such sheet is grasped by the apparatus by which it is to be further acted upon. For instance, where such apparatus comprises folding mechanism the sheet may be fed forward between two rolls, such" as the rolls f f and thence to the folding device.

In this operation the buckle or fold illustrated in Fig. 2. is located at about one-thrid of the distance from the finder-gage L to the guide or gage M, and the sheet is separated and fed from the under side of the pile in two parallel portions, one portion comprising a third of the sheet and the other portion comprising -the remaining two-thirds. If, now, it be desired to separate sheets of greater sizeas, for instance, of fourteen inches in lengththe operation just describedis repeated, save that the finder-gage is moved so as to indicate the graduation corresponding to said length 14 whereupon the separator-roll E will buckle or fold the lowermost sheet at substantially its center, and.

this central fold will be passed downward vbetween said separator-roll E and the idlerroll G until grasped by the feed-rolls F F v and passed therefrom to other apparatussu"ch, for instance, as the rolls f f. In so-far, therefore, as this invention relates to se arating mechanism only the essential di erenee in the separation of sheets of one length and sheets of a substantially greater length concerns the point at which the same are buckled or folded preliminarily to withdrawal from the under side of the pile. It may also be here repeated that prior to the separating operation the idler-roll G is adjusted rela-.

tively to the separator-roll E in. manner above described in order to assure reliable separation.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desirev to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In sheet-separating ap aratus, the combination of a support fora s eet pile, a movforth.

2. In sheet-separating ap aratus,--the combination of a support for a s eet' ile, a.' 1-ota- 7 table separator anda ivotedrol er'mo'u'nted in an opening insai sup ort and coactin'g with the under side of a pi e on said support intermediate of theedges thereof mea.'ns for operating said separator-to bueklethe sheets 8o successively between it and'jsaid roller and pass said sheets in buckled form' Between them, and means for adjusting said roller rela. tively to said separator, substantially as set forth. I

3. In sheet-separating apparatus, the combination of a support for a sheet pile, a I'Olifir table separator and an idlersrol l mounted in an opening in saidsupport and coacting with j the under side of a sheet pile on said support intermediate of the edges thereof means for 3 operating said separator to buckle the sheets successively between it and said roll and pass said sheets in buckled form between them,- inovably-mounted bearings for said roll, an 5- adjustin' device, connections between the same an said bearings and means for operating said device, substantially as set forth.

4. In sheet-separating apparatus, the combination with means for supporting a sheet pile, and a se arator-roll coactin with one side thereof, 0 an idler-roll paralle withisaid separator-roll and mounted in movable bearings, a shaft'andmeans for rotating the same, and a connection between said shaftand the 10 5 bearings of said idler-roll, substantially as set forth. I

5. In sheet-se arating apparatus, the combination with a ed having an opening'intermediate of its ends and adapted to receive no and support a sheet pile, of a pressurejdevice overlying said bed and adaptedto coact with said sheet pile, a separator-roll'and anidlrroll operatin in the opening in said bed and coactlng wit the under side of said sheet pile to pass a sheet downwardl therefrom between said separatonroll an said idlerroll, movable supports for said idler-roll, a shaft-support ad acent to said bed and having means for operating the same, cranks 12o mounted upon said shaft, and connectingar-rns intermediate of said cranks and 'sa1d movable supports, substantially as set "forth;

6. In sheet-separating apparatus, the com- .bination of a sup ort for a sheet pile having. :25

tion, a rotatable separator and a pivoted i said roller relatively to said separator, sub= roller mounted in an opening in said support 5 stantially as set forth. :0 and coacting with the under side of a pile on This specification signed and witnessed said support intermediate of the edges therethis 29th day of June, 1905; v v

5 of, means for operating said separator to buc- ALBERT B. DICK;

kle the sheets successively between it and I said roller and pass said sheets in buckled form between them, and means for adjusting Witnesses:

M. H. BURKART, W. G. ARNOLD;

It is hereby certified that in Letters-Patent No. 823,936, granted June 19,1906,

upon the application of Albert B. Dick, of Lake Forest, Illinois, for an improvement in Sheet-Separating Apparatus, an error, occurs in the printed specification requiring correction, as follov vs: In line 119, page '3, the compound word shaftsupport should read shaft supported; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record 01 the case in i the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of July, A. D., 1906. l SEAL q a E. B. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 823,936.

tion, a rotatable separator and a pivoted i said roller relatively to said separator, sub= roller mounted in an opening in said support 5 stantially as set forth. :0 and coacting with the under side of a pile on This specification signed and witnessed said support intermediate of the edges therethis 29th day of June, 1905; v v

5 of, means for operating said separator to buc- ALBERT B. DICK;

kle the sheets successively between it and I said roller and pass said sheets in buckled form between them, and means for adjusting Witnesses:

M. H. BURKART, W. G. ARNOLD;

It is hereby certified that in Letters-Patent No. 823,936, granted June 19,1906,

upon the application of Albert B. Dick, of Lake Forest, Illinois, for an improvement in Sheet-Separating Apparatus, an error, occurs in the printed specification requiring correction, as follov vs: In line 119, page '3, the compound word shaftsupport should read shaft supported; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record 01 the case in i the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of July, A. D., 1906. l SEAL q a E. B. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 823,936.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 823,936

in Sheet-Separating Apparatus, an crror.occurs It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 823,936, granted June 19, 1906,

upon the application of Albert B. Dick, 01' Lake Forest, Illinois, for an improvement in the printed specification rvquiring correction, as follows: In line 119, page 3, the compound word shaftsupport should read shaft supported; and that the said Letters Potent should be read with this correction therein that, the same may conform to the record ot the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signd and sealed this 10th day of July, A. D., 1906.

E. B. MOORE,

Acting Commisaimwr of Patmds.

[SEA Li] 

